Indirect and semi-indirect fixture



R. F. PECKHAM. INDIRECT AND SEMI-INDIRECT FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28. I917.

Patented May 20, 1919.

[NYEAZ'TUH RE'smrzLr 2-? PE :KHAM,

Hrs Arraazxzzar.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REGINALDv F. PECKHAM, OF RUGBY, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRICCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

INDIRECT AND SEMI-INDIRECT FIXTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 20, 19-19.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REGINALD F. PEGK- HAM, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at Rugby, county of Warwickshire, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Indirect and Semi-Indirect Fixtures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lighting fixtures and more particularly tofixtures such as are used in systems of semi-indirect and indirectlighting. In such systems the usual practice is to suspend beneath thelight source a shallow bowl of translucent or non-transparent material,the latter being usually suspended from the ceiling by means of chains,or by means of supports radiating out from a, central hanger. The lampor lamps are suitably supported in this bowl, and the bowl serves topartially or totally re-direct,

the downward rays of light upwardly onto the ceiling, the latter beingwhite or light colored so as to reflect and diffuse the light raysdownward again into the room. Such fixtures, especially where there isonly one high candle power lamp with a concentrated source of lightsupported therein, have the disadvantage that shadows of thesuspendchains or radial supports are cast on the eel ing, and also thatthere is a. sharp line of 'cutofi on the ceiling or the upper part ofthe wall caused' by the opaque bowl in a totallyindirect system.

The object of my invention is to overcome these disadvantages and tothat end it.consists in the employment of a difl'usin means of suchcharacter and so arranged t at the direct rays from the lamp strikingthe edge of the bowland the chains are caused to pass through adiffusing medium thereby greatly softenin the line of cutoff innon-transparent bowfs and diminishing or avoiding the shadows of thechains, while both the indirect and direct rays which do not cause thesetroubles pass freely upward to the ceiling and re unobstructed andunimpeded by the difiusing means. I More particularly Iprovide bands ofdiffusing material and arrange them beneath the chains or supports so asto intercept the shadow-casting rays but permit all other rays to freelypass up to the A rther ob ect of my invention resides in the arrangementwhereby in addition to 65 the avoidance of shadows and sharp outlineswhich cause this trouble a di on the ceiling the difl'using means issimply and easily supported and eflicient ventilation of the fixture isobtained by the particular arrangement and character of the diflusingmeans.

Other advantages of my invention will be apparent on an inspection ofthe drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 of which shows one modification of my invention. Fig. 2 showsanother modification, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of one element of thefixture illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is illustrated an indirect or semi-indirectfixture embodying a bowl 1 suspended by a plurality of chains 2, usuallythree in number. In an indirect fixture the bowl 1 may be of some opaquematerial, either metal or glass, and this bowl is conveniently providedwith a detachable interior reflector 3, or the interior surface of thebowl 1 itself may comprise a reflecting medium. In a semi-indirectfixture the bowl 1 is referably of some a translucent material, asrosted, opalescent, or pr1smat1c glass, and in this case the interiorreflector 3 is dispensed with. In thesemi-indirect system a portion ofthe light passes downwardly from the light source directly through thebowl and a part thereof is reflected up to theceiling, while in an ing.In accordance with one feature of my invention, I interpose in the athof the rays Easing medium, while a free and unobstructed passage isoffered to all other rays iming from the light source. This dilfusinmeans consists of diffusing bands located tween the sus pending chains 2or radial supports and the light source, and in the referred arrange?ment these difi'using ban s are incorporated in the clear glass cover orskirt 5 located just above the; lamp bulb 4. These bands 6 correspond innumber to the suspending chains or radial-supports and are incorporatedin the skirt 5 in any suitable manner, as by etching, sandblasting orpainting in such a &

manner that they become translucent and diliusing as distinguished fromthe other parts or the skirt 5 which are transparent and offer a freeand unimpeded. passage to a great portion of the upward rays. In thismanner only the rays which cause shadows are difiused and consequentlythe efficiency of the unit or fixture is substantially unimpaired, thegreater portion of the direct rays passing up to the ceiling withoutencountering the diffusing medium. The lower edge of the skirt 5 mayalso be rendered difiusing as shown like the strips or hands 6 in orderto obliterate the Sharp outlines of the rim of the bowl 1 upon theceiling. This skirt 5 may lee-supported in any suitable manner, as, forinstance, by means of downwardly dependin fingers 7 cooperating with aring 8 whici is adapted to be slid downwardly over the fingers and causethem to grip the flaring rim of the skirt.

In Fi 2 is illustrated another modification em odying a translucent oropaque bowl 1 similar to the one illustrated in Fig. 1. The difiusingbands in this case are incorporated in a carrier of a character topromote ventilation of the fixture. To this end this carrier consists ofa cylindrical member of clear glass 5 resting directly on the bulb l.Since the carrier or cover does not conform to the configuration ofthebub 4:, it may be supported directly thereon without causing undueheating of the bulb at the points of contact, radiation from the bulbbeing unimpeded thereby. The lower end of the cylinder 5 may be madedifiusing, as is indicated in dotted lines, in order to avoid sharpoutlines of the bowl on the ceiling.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofi theUnited States, is,-

1. In indirect and semi-indirect lighting fixtures, the combination of abowl and a light source therein with'aplurality of suspending devicesfor the bowl attached at one end to the bowl and at the other end to theceiling support above the light source and a transparent cover for thelamp having bands of difiusing material incorporated therein situateddirectly between thelight source and the suspending devices forintercepting and difi'using the shadow-casting rays, all other rayspassing freely to the ceiling without loss by diffusion.

2. In indirect and semi-indirect lighting fixtures, the combination of abowl and an incandescent lamp therein with a plurality of suspendingdevices attached at one end to the bowl and at the other end to theceiling support above the lamp and a cover of a configuration difierentfrom the configuration of the bulb and resting directly thereon, saidcover having diffusing means incorporated therein located between thelight fila- 3. In indirect and semi-indirect lighting fixtures, thecombination of a bowl and an incandescent lamp therein with a pluralityof suspending devices attached at one end to the bowl and at the otherend to the ceiling support above the lamp and a cover resting directlyon the bulb, said cover having dif fusing means incorporated thereinlocated between the light filament and the suspending devices forintercepting and difi'using the shadow-casting rays.

4:. In indirect and semi-indirect lighting fixtures, the combination ofa bowl and an incandescent lamp therein with a plurality of suspendingdevices for the bowl attached at. one end to the bowl rim and at theother end to the ceiling support above the incandescent lamp andatransparent cylinder resting on said lamp bulb and having incorporatedtherein diffusing bands located directly between the light source andthe suspending devices for intercepting the shadowcasting rays, allother rays passing freely and unobstructedly to the ceiling.

5. In indirect and semi-indirect lighting fixtures, the combination of abowl and a light source therein with a plurality of suspending devicesattached at one end" to the bowl and at the other end to the ceiling support above the light source and a transparent cover for said lamp bulbhaving incorporated therein diffusing bands situated directly betweenthe light source and the suspendin devices and also having incorporatedt erein adifl'using ring located di rectly between the rim of the bowland thelight sourcefor intercepting the shadowcasting rays, all otherrays passing freely and unobstructedly to the ceiling.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set 'y hand this twenty eighth dayof February, 1917.

REGINALD F. PECKHAM. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. FULLER, JOHN HALroRIn

